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In the hours before the first day of the battle, Calder arrives at the far west, where his brother Scale and his men are positioned. He recognises many of the old Named-Men who once closest to his father, like Pale-as-Snow and White-Eye Hansul, now worn down from being far from Black Dow’s favour.

The half-brothers hug and catch-up. Scale's the complete opposite of his brother, a fearsome warrior but a bull-headed dullard; quick to anger, but notoriously slow to think. The conversation eventually turns to the battle to come. Scale’s men are to take the Old Bridge, which is barely defended. And Calder will have to fight; with so many enemies, Calder needs to earn the respect of Scale’s men. With scant enthusiasm, Calder hefts his borrowed shield and gets ready for the charge.

Meanwhile, in The Union camp by the Old Bridge, Corporal Tunny is overjoyed to finally be reunited with his horse, only for Gorst to rides into the encampment. Tunny fears for the worst, and soon Sergeant Forest arrives with the grim news; they must leave their horse and tramp the five-hundred men in the regiment through the bog to the west. Stupid but that's the Union Army for you.